The Key To Domestic Success
...eliminating that which fails to comply
Full disclosure… I am a working mom who has not achieved her domestic crown. As such, I have rules about stuff. Nothing in the realm of housework (or homework) shall receive more than twenty uninterrupted minutes of my time.
Unfortunately, my socks and utensils often fail to comply. On any given day, there is always an object or two or fifty that significantly extend my time on task. In my opinion, eliminating socks and utensils from my workload will get me one step closer to that crown.
What is so terrible about utensils and socks? They are tiny textiles that require individualized attention. They get lost, they get stuck in places, and the count never seems to add up. Not to mention that they get bent out of shape and often require multiple cleanings in efforts to remove the crud from crevices.
ABOUT THOSE SOCKS
The Lonely Sock Box
If anyone has a theory about the partnerless sock phenomenon, I would love to hear about it. The end result of nearly every load of laundry is a pile of socks with no match. Rather than spend countless hours attempting to match them up, those without partners go into the Lonely Sock Box. If said socks are lucky, they will find their mate at a later date. Get it… lonely sock… find your mate…
Resolve to Mismatch
Amazingly, we usually end up with more partnerless socks than pairs. Luckily, my family has a rebel spirit and we agreed to bring the “mix-match” back. There is a science of sorts to this. Except for the fuzzy kind, all of the socks in my house are no-shows which means that, when worn, no one will notice if our socks do not match.
Down for the Count
Every 90 days or so, we dump everything from the Lonely Sock Box. We match up what we can, do a quick inspection and purge. Socks with holes get tossed out. Socks that are no longer the same size get tossed out (forever a mystery). Socks that still have no mate get tossed out. Sadly, within the week, the Lonely Sock Box is usually back in business.
FORKS, SPOONS & KNIVES
A List of Complaints
There are always squatters in the utensil drawer (not my utensils)
Stuff gets semi-permanently shellaced to them
Some don’t make it back from the dinner table
At least one fork always has a bent tine or prong
Spoons seem to bend when no one is looking
Knives magically double when the drawer closes
Sporks (refer to #1)… enough said
Designated for Lunch
Similarly to socks, we have a system for forks, spoons and knives that do not belong or match. These misfits are designated for use in lunch boxes only. This system usually works well since we all pack lunches for school and work. Occasionally the lunch box utensils don’t return home. Since these tend to be squatters or sporks, I’m fine with that. It’s like survival of the fittest but with utensils.
Soaking Saved My Life
Though there is a utensil caddy filled with non-stick spoons, spatulas, etc., there is always that one person in the house who insists upon cooking with regular utensils. When this happens, the yuck gets caked on making it difficult to clean. I usually keep a bowl or large tumbler filled with warm soapy water in the sink. We drop in dirty utensils allowing them to start soaking before the caked on, baked on situation arises.
What is a semi-domestic goddess to do? The most obvious answer is just to throw all of it out and start over. Unfortunately, unless you plan to purchase a lifetime supply of disposable socks and forks, that won’t work. Another option is to rely on your OCD tendencies to keep everything in order (remember the 20 minute rule). Perhaps the answer is somewhere in the middle. A combination of organizing and tossing that leaves everyone with enough socks to get them through the week and enough utensils to get everyone through breakfast, lunch and dinner.